Invited Speaker Seminar - Hong Kong’s Approach to Blockchain and DeFi

Date: Monday, July 10, 2023 at 3 p.m.  
Location: EV 3.309 

Abstract

This talk aims to analyze the distinct approach taken by Hong Kong toward the rapidly evolving areas of blockchain, cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (DeFi). Hong Kong, widely recognized as an international financial hub, is navigating through a transformative wave introduced by blockchain technology with a unique involvement of academics, regulators, and a burgeoning start-up ecosystem supported by the government and private sectors. We will give an overview of the DeFi landscape globally and in Hong Kong, setting the context by elaborating on key concepts, key players, and significant developments. We will then delve into the regulatory environment in Hong Kong, and the involvement of academia through research and the rapid development of training programs and specialized Master's degrees. Will this strategy pay off? Are the promises of blockchain and DeFi worth the challenges and risks they bring along? The speaker will draw upon his personal teaching experience to enrich the discussion.

Biography:

Dr. Xavier de Carne de Carnavalet targets real-world security and privacy problems that affect the public at large. He received his Ph.D. degree in Information and Systems Engineering from Concordia University, and was a post-doctoral research fellow at Carleton University advised by Prof. Paul van Oorschot. He obtained a M.Sc./Dipl-Ing. from École Supérieure d'Informatique, Électronique, Automatique (ESIEA), and a M.A.Sc. from Concordia University. He is currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and is also an instructor for the Fintech certification program for Hong Kong bankers. One of the major directions of his research is to measure and improve user privacy and security from threats posed by software, web technologies and services. He made contributions in the fields of passwords and authentication, reproducible builds, and secure communication interception. His work has been published at top-tier security venues such as NDSS, IEEE TIFS, TOPS, and ACM CSUR. He received several awards including the prestigious NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.